The Star Orphans
by Arileo
Summary: Sequel to 'One Last Thing'. Cid gains some additions to his crew.


Well, as promised, the first of SEVERAL sequels to 'One Last Thing'. The last couple of days had a whole bloody universe spring up in my head. Sorry CloTi fans, but this one focuses more on Cid and the boys, but there is a CloTioneshot in the works.  
Warnings: Language (Cid POV, duh) Implied Cid/Shera and Cloud/Tifa.

Disclaimer: I don't own FF7, I don't even own a copy of the game.

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**The Star Orphans**

Cid Highwind cursed to himself as his flew his ship through the night sky. It had been a bad day.

Actually, a bad week was more like it. If you _really_ wanted to be accurate, Cid's luck had starting going downhill the day after Cloud defeated that Sephiroth clone a good three weeks ago, when they'd all come into the Seventh Heaven and found Spikey sitting there with the other two Sephiroth clones, wounded but alive.

Now, Cid hadn't been surprised to find out that there'd been more of the silver-haired bastards, but he was pretty sure Tifa had mentioned them being a little… _older_.

It seemed that the Planet had seen fit not only to give the two remaining clones a second chance at life, but to turn them into children as well.

In Cid's honest opinion, it made a lot of sense. It was pretty damned hard to hate someone that pitiful looking and vulnerable, even if they _had_ tried to resurrect Sephiroth. And the fact that they were wounded and needed to rely on the AVALANCHE members for survival gave the two boys a much-needed crash-course in trusting people. All of the two clones most dangerous powers were gone. No more absorbing materia, if they wanted to use magic they had to junction the normal way, and even then it seemed they could only lob off a couple Bolt1's before they got tired. Still a little stronger than a normal child, and they healed faster, but nothing that could cause a problem. The real problem was what to do with them now that they were healthy.

They couldn't stay with Cloud and Tifa, that much was certain. First off, there was simply no space for another two children in Seventh Heaven, even if Cloud and Tifa started sharing a room (something probably still years away from happening). They didn't have the money for it either. Secondly, lots of people had seen the two silver-haired men in the square with the missing children. Already, a few old-timers had begun wondering if there wasn't a relationship between them and the late General Sephiroth. It was only a matter of time before someone saw the boys and put two and two together. One drunken bar patron already had. Barret, Cid, Reeve, and Vincent had discussed the third reason in private where no one under the age of thirty might overhear. Even though they all were pretty sure that the threat of Jenova was gone, it was still a little disturbing to see Cloud doting on his 'little brothers' quite so much. Especially when they'd been trying so hard to kill him not too long ago.

So, what to do with them now? It had to be a member of AVALANCHE who took them in, that much was certain. Cloud would probably go homicidal if anyone suggested otherwise.

Barret couldn't do it. Even though the big man had experience with children, he moved around too much, which was why Marlene was living in the bar.

Reeve was out. He was too busy with W.R.O. Not to mention that he had many ex-Shinra in his employ who might recognize the boys.

Yuffie? No way in hell. She was way too young and irresponsible. And even if that weren't true, there was even _more_ danger of the boys being recognized in Wutai then there was in Edge.

Vincent was a no. Valentine didn't even have a real home for _himself_, let alone two growing kids.

At one point there had been talk of sending them to Elmyra Gainsborough in Kalm, but Cloud had said something about not wanting to 'bring up bad memories'.

They'd been all set to give the children over to Nanaki and Cosmo Canyon until it had been pointed out that Nanaki was still little more than a child himself.

That left Cid Highwind.

The pilot had argued against it for two days, but in the end he'd caved. Really, he probably was the best choice in the end, but that didn't mean he had to like it damn it!

The decision had been made a week ago, but today was the day the two clones came to stay with him for good.

So far, it hadn't been too much trouble. They'd set down a few ground rules earlier in the week when the boys had first been introduced to Shera. Both Sheras. And so far they'd gotten along with both his girls just fine.

Right now, Shera (the human) was getting them settled in their cabin.

Cid lit a cigarette, and let his thoughts turn to the boys themselves.

First there was Loz. If not for his unusual coloring, Loz could pass for a normal, if not somewhat big for his age, eight-year-old boy. The 'tough-guy' attitude he tried to put up when he was upset only endeared him to Cid even more. Not that Highwind would ever admit it.

Then there was Yazoo. Nearly a full head shorter than his brother, and with hair down past his knees, Yazoo was like a tiger in kittens clothing. He had a glare that could peel paint and a list of smartass comments a mile long, usually displayed whenever someone decided to see if he really was as light as he looked (which happened a lot, even Shera had no trouble carrying the poor kid around on one arm).

At first, Cid had been worried about how Loz and Yazoo would react to being on an airship, but there was no problem at all. The moment they'd first come aboard the _Shera_, he'd discovered that the boys in fact had what could only be called a fondness for heights. Loz had spent several hours staring at the world below from the cockpit, and Yazoo had already developed a habit of napping on girders over the walkways.

Cid chuckled as he remembered all the crewmen who'd had to do double takes when they saw that, initially mistaking Yazoo for Gren, the gray tabby cat that lived onboard.

"What's so funny Captain?"

"Huh?" Cid turned to find Shera behind him in the doorway to the bridge. She wasn't alone either. Loz and Yazoo were with her, dressed in matching pajamas.

"Nothing really. What're they doing still up?" he nodded his head towards the boys.

"Loz was having trouble sleeping," Yazoo said.

"I was not!"

"We decided to come say goodnight to you," Shera said.

Cid really couldn't think of what to say to that. Thankfully, Loz broke the awkward silence that followed.

"Cid-ji-san, Nii-san said you went up there," he said, pointing out the windows to the starry sky surrounding them. "Did you really?"

"Sure did!" the pilot replied.

Both boys' faces lit up like it was Christmas. "Really! What was it like?" Yazoo asked excitedly.

Cid started for a moment. He hadn't really thought about his brief trip into space for some time. It had been his dream come true, and he'd practically forgotten about it.

"Well? Aren't you going to tell them Captain?" Shera said, smiling warmly at him.

Highwind found himself smiling back as he set the _Shera_ to autopilot. "Okay then! Now, the first thing you need to know about being in outer space is that there's no gravity, so that means you float around …"

Even though the adventure itself had been short, the story of it went on into the night, and before any of them realized it, Loz was fast asleep on Cid's lap, and Yazoo not far behind.

"Guess it's finally bed time," Shera whispered.

"I'm about ready to hit the sack m'self," Cid whispered back, trying and failing to stifle a yawn.

"That was very kind of you, telling them such a nice bedtime story." The brunette woman said as she gently hefted the sleepy Yazoo into her arms.

"Eh?" Cid frowned at her as he tried to pick Loz up without waking him, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing… it's just that you're a lot better with children than you claim to be."

"What are you getting at woman?"

Shera just smiled.

"You're up to something."

"Nothing I haven't been up to for some time now."

"Shera?" Great. Now Shera was being weird. It was almost like she was coming onto him or…something…

Fuck.

Really. Bad. Day.

_owari_

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Author's notes: 'Cid-ji-san' means'Uncle Cid'

I know alot of people have been referring to Cid's new airship as the Sierra, but I prefer to use 'Shera' for three reasons:

1- I like being different

2-The official DVD says its Shera.

3-As much as the Cid/Vincent fan in me hates to admit it, Cid's ship being named after Shera just makes alot more sense.

The whole chibi-Loz and Yazoo thing came from a very disturbing thought I had. Kadaj and the others are Sephiroth clones right? So the SHM are either the regular clones like Cloud (regular people injected with Jenova cells) or they're true clones that were born that way. Most people assume the latter. But Hojo didn't start making clones until after Sehpy died in Nibelheim. Which means that any Sephiroth clones made in utero couldn't be any older than about six and a half by the time AC takes place. Though it would explain why they're all so childish (yes,Yazoo is childish. He acts just like my niece when she's trying to get under my skin). And more food for thought: If you really think about it, if Hojo started on the clones after Nibelheim, that means Cloud is probably the very first Sephiroth clone. Yes, I spend _way_ too much time thinking about this stuff.

There should be at least one more chapter of this sooner or later.


End file.
